


A Toast To Now

by sonicshambles



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, New Year's Eve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-06
Updated: 2015-12-06
Packaged: 2018-05-04 02:06:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5316191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sonicshambles/pseuds/sonicshambles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Twelve misses New Year's in London and has to make it up to Clara.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Toast To Now

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ginger_timelady](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ginger_timelady/gifts).



By the time the last guest left it was almost 2am. Clara waved them goodbye and collapsed in a heap in the corner of her sofa. She was exhausted to the point of sleeping there instead of crawling to her bedroom and the last few guest to leave were waved goodbye with a stifled yawn. It wasn't the most polite way to signal to the stragglers that the party was over but no one seemed too put off by it. They were all friends from work or neighbors who lived in the building and it was enough that Clara even threw a New Year's Eve party. She'd been so distant the past few years and kept such odd hours that made it hard to make plans with her. Most of the people there were just happy to ring in the New Year with their friend in her home surrounded by everyone she cared about. Of course there was one person missing and of course it was the person Clara cared about the most. When she heard the TARDIS materialize in her bedroom seconds after her front door shut she attempted to wake herself up enough to express her disappointment at his unfashionable lateness.

The Doctor strolled into her living and looked around with a confused look on his face.

"Did no one come?"

"If by no one you mean around twenty people than yes, no one came."

He stared down at her with a stern look. 

"Twenty people came and left already? It's not even midnight!"

"Doctor, it's 2 in the morning."

He turned in a circle, looked around the entire room, walked out of it, by the sound of things walked into the TARDIS, and then back out and into her living room again. 

"Clara, I seem to have miscalculated the time of my arrival by an hour...or five."

"Yes, you do seem to have."

"Happy New Year?"

He looked genuinely disappointed in himself which wasn't a look Clara was used to seeing. She sighed and mentally shook off the worst of her own disappointment in him. 

"It's fine. If I'm honest you would have hated it. Everyone stood around and talked about what they got for Christmas, what TV they've caught up on over the holidays,and that sort of thing. I'm sure you would have been bored to death."

When the Doctor walked over and sat next to her on the sofa, Clara tucked her legs underneath her so he had plenty of room to spread across the middle cushion. The only light in the room was from the tree and the string of lights across her window. They hadn't seen each other in over a week in her time and now that he was next to her again she realized how lonely she'd been without him. This was the most comfortable and happiest she'd felt all week.

"Were you bored?"

When she didn't answer immediately he tapped her bare foot with his finger and repeated the question.

"Honestly? A little. It's hard sometimes having to edit my response to what I do with my time so I don't let anything slip. I talked a lot about my Christmas even though there wasn't much to say and spent most of it making sure everyone's glass was full. And by the way, Doctor, don't think I'm going to let your absence at Christmas slide."

She felt him study her profile so she turned to look at him and was surprised by the baffled look on his face.

"You really wanted me there? I thought that was a joke!"

"Of course I wanted you there. I mean I was a little nervous because I didn't tell Dad or Linda or Gran you were coming and I'm not sure how I would have explained how we know each other and well I'm not exactly recovered from the last time I invited you to the family Christmas dinner but I still wanted you there. I always want...it would have been nice."

He smiled but seemed unable to make eye contact with her. "Are you telling me they've forgotten your nude Swedish boyfriend already?"

Clara laughed and tilted her head against the sofa cushion. "Are you kidding me? Gran asks all the time if we've kept in touch. I tell her that he went backpacking around the world but occasionally sends me a postcard."

"So if I'd shown up the cover story would be that my travels have really taken a toll?"

She breathed out a laugh. "Oh yes. Or just focused on your new found love of clothes and Scottish accent. My family may not be the most astute group of people but I think even they would have questioned that. I suppose it's a good thing I didn't have to think that one all the way through."

"Who said I'd show up wearing clothes this time?"

Clara kept her comments to herself. She didn't know how the Doctor would respond to how little she minded that thought minus her family being a part of it. 

He reached for her hand and when she felt his knuckles bump against hers she laced her fingers through his. It only lasted for a second but she accepted it as his silent apology. 

"So it was really that boring? I've seen you celebrate New Year's, Clara Oswald. It was anything but boring."

"Not fair. You saw me celebrate on a planet devoted to New Year's, involving super potent alien mixed drinks, and you still haven't filled me on half of what I half remember. For all I know there was a completely logical explanation for how I lost my sunglasses...and shirt...and one shoe that I've just forgotten."

"You really want the truth?"

"Of course!"

"You are an incredibly passionate and daring but extremely bad poker player. And there is no stopping you when you are quote on a roll. I carried you out of there the moment you lost your shirt."

Her vague, fuzzy memories of the event became less vague and fuzzy when he said that. 

"It is not my fault I didn't realize we were playing by space poker rules and not the much better Earth rules. As for my party there were no poker games or strange blue drinks that taste like strawberries or partial nudity but given the number of people I'll be seeing at work on Monday that's for the best."

The Doctor leaned back against the couch and stretched his legs out. Clara felt a strong desire to rest her legs across his thighs but the ever evolving state of his acceptance with physical contact was not always clear to her and she was too comfortable to make him uncomfortable. 

"I went to a UNIT New Year's party once. It was a very interesting study in what a little whiskey does for acceptable behavior around co-workers. It was some time before the Brig was able to make eye contact with me again."

With raised eyebrows Clara made a mental note to return to the story at a later time when she was more awake. 

"Well there have been many Coal Hill staff parties that were like that. Now that you mention it I'm impressed by how well we behaved ourselves."

"There's always next year!"

Clara grinned. "I'll make a note now to double the amount of rum I put in the punch. And you make a note to show up on time."

"Yes, ma'am. You know, technically speaking I haven't missed ringing in the New Year with you. Technically speaking that is what your invitation stated."

"How so?"

"Do you think you have any celebration left in you?"

She wanted to say no but she hadn't made a New Year's Resolution to start making better life choices when the Doctor was involved so she felt no guilt when she sat up straighter and responed yes.

"Put your shoes back on, splash some water on your face, grab an energy drink, and meet me in the TARDIS in ten minutes."

After quickly freshening up Clara joined the Doctor in the TARDIS. They left her flat and arrived at their destination in less time than it took her stifle a yawn. The moment they stepped outside they were surrounded by so much light and music and general revelry that Clara instantly woke up.

"Where are we?"

"Santiago, Chile. It will be midnight here in five minutes."

She beamed at him and grabbed his hand. 

"This is perfect."

"What?"

"I said THIS IS PERFECT."

He beamed back and with hands tightly clasped together they attempted to find a quieter space to stand. They finally found a spot in the doorway of a shop and pressed together to keep the crowd from separating them. Clara pressed them even closer for no better reason than she wanted to. In the week they'd been apart it was even clearer to her how much she preferred having him with her. To have him this close to her felt like a belated Christmas gift. The Doctor tucked an arm around Clara's shoulders and leaned in to speak directly into her ear.

"People enjoy this?"

She turned her head just enough to speak directly into his ear.

"Some people. Really it's all about being with the right person." As she remembered standing in her flat a few hours earlier with her eyes trained out the window instead of on her guests reaching for their loved one Clara took a deep breath and decided to be forward with him for once. "There's a tradition about kissing as the clock strikes twelve."

He blinked at her but any response was drowned out as the crowd began to count back from ten. They joined in the shouts of ¡Feliz año nuevo! and Clara turned to face the Doctor. She leaned up so there was no chance he couldn't hear her.

"I didn't get to kiss anyone at my party."

His response was whispered against his forehead. "And if I had been there?"

Her hands found the back of his neck and she brought her face as close to his as her height would allow. He had every opportunity to stop her and when he didn't she gave him one last chance to react to how her hands pressed gently down against his neck.

He lowered his head until their lips met. It was soft and brief but to Clara it was the best New Year's kiss she'd ever received. 

"Happy New Year, Doctor."

"Happy New Year, Clara."

She kissed the side of his mouth and let her hands slip off his neck. They stood there awkwardly for a moment with matching shy smiles. Clara was consumed with the desire to kiss him again but once felt like a miracle. It felt like something they needed a little more time to ease into under the right circumstances.

"How many more New Year's do you think we can fit in?"

With matching smiles they raced to the TARDIS. 

In New York the kiss was longer, in Chicago it involved more tongue, and there was something about the air in Seattle that inspired the Doctor to lift her up and press her against the side of the building as they spent several long minutes ringing in the year together. When he placed her back down she collapsed against him, exhausted but content. He wrapped his arms around her and placed a kiss on the top of her head. 

"I think you have properly made up for missing my party."

"Good."

He half carried her back to the TARDIS and to her bed when they returned to her flat. She kicked off her shoes and started to struggle with her dress before giving up and collapsing against her mattress.

"Are you staying?"

"No, you get some rest. I'll come back tomorrow and if you're rested enough we can go to any New Year's in any year you want in any place you want."

"Paris. 1920s."

"It's a date."

She grinned into her mattress and prepared to get more than enough rest needed to enjoy another New Year's. 

"Goodnight, Doctor."

She felt the mattress dip as he leaned over it and brushed a light kiss against her cheek. The feel of it lingered as she heard the TARDIS dematerialize and seconds later drifted off into a happy sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Holidays! Hope you enjoy this New Year's fluff.


End file.
